life is worth more to Maxim than the money they are offering to have me thrown to Hum.
My eyes go wide when the man who emerges from the curtain is not Denim, or even Maxim.
It’s the man with the mask.
The walking nightmare.
“Put that down, silly girl. That shit doesn’t work with me.”
I can’t shake my head since I’d likely slice my own throat open in the process, so instead, I just stare at him. “Who are you?”
He shrugs. “Who I am is of no significance to you. You just need to come with me.”
I swallow and move the knife away a fraction when the pressure reminds me just how sharp it is. The nick on my thigh has only just stopped bleeding, and I’m not in a rush to spill any more of my own blood—unless the worst comes to the worst.
“No,” I tell him, as firmly as I’m able.
He sighs through his mask. “If you want to live, you will come with me.”
Is the man for real? I’d almost laugh if the sight of him wasn’t so chilling. “You expect me to believe that? You and your friends wanted to see me crushed to death an hour ago.”
The masked man lets out an amused laugh as he walks toward my dresser. He glances behind him, toward me, and says, “Let’s not get theatrical now, your performance finished some time ago. You would have survived the ordeal, of that I’m quite sure.”
He quickly goes back to inspecting my belongings, picking up my encrusted cup and twisting it around in front of his face.
I stare at him, momentarily dumbfounded. “You offered money to watch a giant fuck me, and now you want me to come with you?”
“Correction,” he says, slamming the cup back down on my dresser. “I offered a lot of money to watch a giant fuck you. And you were stupid enough to refuse my offer,” he scoffs.
“You are mad.”
“Completely, yes,” he says with a shrug. “Your assumption is quite correct. But I was actually trying to do you a kindness. ”
I drop the knife an inch farther, feeling positive this is a trap he’s laying but unable to stop myself from taking the bait. “What do you mean?”
The man turns to face me, resting his hands against the table. “What I mean is, I have some extremely fucked-up associates who took quite an interest in you. Four men, three holes. I wonder what a little thing like you would have done with the fourth one?” He laughs at his own joke and it makes me feel sick.
“I’m not for sale. Maxim doesn’t want to see me dead.”
“Really? How adorable.” He tilts his head to the side. “ Your ignorance is almost childlike. Everyone in this world is for sale.”
The man may speak the truth, I have no idea. Maybe it’s true.
The more I think about it, the more it seems likely.
In one night, Maxim has gambled with me more than he has my entire life.
Suddenly, my world feels even bleaker than it did this morning. This morning everything was normal. Chaotic and fucked up, sure, but that is normal. Now there are three choices. Go with those four men, go with him, or go to sleep forever.
“And if I go with you? How do I know you won’t just sell me to them? They’re your associates.”
The masked man laughs at that, as if the notion is ridiculous. “You seem frightfully unaware of the difference between an associate and someone I give two fucks about. Why would I sell you to them? There is money to be made in this world at every turn, but there is only one of you.”
“What will you do with me?”
The man shakes his head. “Your incessant questions are boring me. I’ve tried to indulge you, now it is time for you to indulge me.” He snaps the words, his mood flipping so quickly it has me backing away on the bed instinctively. “Come.”
“No.” I shake my head.
He looks up at the sky. “Oh, my sweet girl. That was the wrong answer.”
One, two large steps and he’s at the end of the bed, towering above me like a demon from hell.
I scuttle back, but before I can get over the pillows his hands grip my ankles and he drags me down toward him in one quick motion.
He holds me still while he mounts me and I inhale a sharp breath.
The knife is still in my hand, and I’m caught between pulling it toward my